Cotton’s Restaurant & Lounge
26009 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, AL, 36561
Cotton’s Restaurant & Lounge Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Orange Beach for healthy meals suggestion.
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Visit below restaurant in Orange Beach for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
26009 Perdido Beach Blvd
Orange Beach, AL, 36561 - Phone (251) 981-9268
- Website https://www.cottons1985.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Linda Q.
This was my favorite dining experience during my week long stay in Orange Beach. Our table overlooked the Gulf. The restaurant was clean, had a great atmosphere and the service was awesome. (Thanks to Sarah) My lightly fried shrimp and oysters were cooked to perfection and the broccoli portion was huge (a good thing) I would tell all visitors to give Cotton's a try!
(4)Randy J.
Stuffed grouper with crab was good but needed more crab. It was more like stuffed with breading. The chicken Alfredo was yummy!
(3)Hannon J.
Friendly, family oriented & great food! All make this place a special place to enjoy!!!
(5)Harry S.
We went back to Cotton's for my annual lobster of massive proportion. I had emailed a few days before to get a 3lb lobster and the manager to me that they had already gotten the lobster shipment and didn't have one. While I was a bit let down, we went to dinner and when we were seated I was asked if I was the man wanting the 3lb lobster. Well to my surprise they had obtained one for me and it arrived at our table cooked to perfection and I left only a shell behind. Any restaurant that will go the extra mile to please a customer they only see once a year has my vote. Great seafood, service, steaks, and desserts too!
(5)Andrew K.
Cotton's should probably select better cuts of tuna for their seared tuna - it came out visibly laden with gristle. I took a picture to share, but it might be a bit nasty to share on Yelp... I couldn't call the seared tuna a good suggestion. The crab cakes were nice here - this was probably the highlight of our meal and what we'd suggest others to try if coming here. They came out nice and crispy with a nice kick (perhaps there's a little horse radish hiding in their recipe somewhere?). The broiled shrimp and scallops were OK. Some of the shrimp seemed slightly overcooked and rubbery. The brocolli was nice - and came in good portions - so you can pretend to be healthy here. =) The salad and (semi-sweet) bread that come before the meal were also nice. As for the atmosphere here, the service and people are nice. The building is pretty cool (mostly wooden, but kept up well - kind of reminds me of a typical TX old-style steakhouse). All in all, it was ... maybe OK..., but I'd probably not come back because of the disappointing food.
(2)Tracey v.
We arrived early enough (just before 6pm) so that our quoted 30 minute wait was really only for about 15 minutes. It was just long enough to get Bushwhacker to bide our time. The drink was fabulous but better suited to be a dessert. Ordered crawfish tails and steamed peel and eat shrimp for appetizers. Average at best. Dinner salad was average as well. I had the shrimp dinner - a sampling of peel and eat steamed shrimp, along with both fried and blackened shrimp. All was good but average until I tried the blackened shrimp. The best ever!!!! Flavorful and just the right amount of spicy. I will definitely go back, if only for the blackened shrimp and Bushwhackers. Both were that good.
(4)Michael M.
Nothing really wrong with this place but nothing that makes you leave saying "damn, that was good." I had the stuffed grouper and it was pretty flavorless... Good, but again, nothing great. Service was fine... Get there before 5:30 to avoid the wait.
(3)Stacey L.
Visited with my parents and toddler while on a weekend trip this summer. The building seems old and a little musty. You go upstairs to get to the dining area. Our waitress was very nice and friendly. I ordered the broiled shrimp and scallops with scalloped potatoes. The shrimp was very good. I have to say the scallops had an odd taste to them. The scalloped potatoes were delicious. Our meal was fine, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for someone traveling to Orange Beach.
(3)Stephen M.
Cottons used to be our favorite place to eat. I say used because the past three times we have visited, within the past six months, the food has been overcooked, portions have been much smaller, our favorite is the stuffed chicken, which now mimic two chicken tenders, and service has been extremely slow. Reminds me of our old favorite, Lesters Restaurant. Was phenomenal, but overnight it went downhill. Sad!!!
(1)June K.
Good service, good food, overpriced. I'd classify this restaurant as a tourist trap. Nice atmosphere, but you can find other local seafood and steak places with better prices.
(3)Rafael E.
Very expensive, filet Mignon over cooked and dry , fries were cold . Very disappointed. For sure never coming back . Service was good
(2)Erika V.
Not that great. Both my husband and I had the filet combination. He had the fried shrimp and I had crab legs. It was just so so--not worth the price. Could have done better at Red Lobster. I asked the waitress for real butter and she pointed to the little packets of margarine on the table and, I said no that's not real butter, may have some real butter? She brought me margarine. Even the "drawn butter" for the crab legs was margarine. Food came out luke warm at best. About the only good thing I can say is that the steak wasn't overcooked... but it was cold when we got it. With all of the great choices in the area, don't waste your time here.
(1)Darin G.
Great food and service. If you get into town late, they will be one of the few places open so check them out!
(4)Audrey T.
This place was amazing the food was awesome my boyfriend and I ordered the crab cakes although it was expensive it was well worth it
(4)mark s.
i loved the prime rib.
(4)Johnny N.
Ok folks, if your home is 300-400 miles from any shoreline, you will find this restaurant acceptable and maybe even likable. Staff are friendly and efficient, while the facilities are nice, it's not what it should be for the price bracket. The food is less than stellar sadly. Seafood platter was beyond disappointing because it was rather bland and not fresh as advertised. I did not finish the plate or even half. Fried oysters were flavorless and almost cold, scallop and shrimp were definitely frozen products, fish was the same.Crab cakes definitely factory made and does not deliver the sweet tastes of fresh crab meat, however the crab topping may pass as fresh local product. Filet mignon was horrid, comparable to 2-4 week old meats at Walmart that has been soaked in water to thaw out. All the juices of the steak were gone. Potato skins were ok and the salad was ice berg lettuce chopped up with croutons and 2 cherry tomatoes each. Didn't try my daughter's chicken tenders. You may find a better venue for seafood at places like Hazels, Shrimp Basket and last resort Captain D's. Best would be something like The Original Oyster House, they still use fresh local seafood and better prices with ambiance. Cotton's looked great on the outside, but once in, it's very disappointing to say the least. Sorry for the long winded review but I want to give as honest and accurate a review as possible. Gulf seafood does not take that much effort to make taste great or just good. Oh ! Oh! Before I forget, the lobster is $75 for the 2 pounder and $98 for the smaller 2 person deal!!!! LOL!!!!!! And the snow crabs $24 a pound, LOL! Ok ok, so that was a bit harsh, but true. Bon appetite !
(2)Linda W.
The food was really good and service was great. It was really stuffy in there though and a little pricy for crab cakes that were all stuffing and hardly and crab. My boyfriend got pasta and the sauce was thin and watery. Kids shrimp was a good buy though haha.. not bad. Would probably go again
(3)Stephnie L.
Was a little worried when we first looked at menu. Not a lot of options for the non sea food eating people in our group. The steak was way overpriced. We ended up with chicken, shrimp, pasta, and crab cakes. All were excellent and our server was awesome. 45 minute wait but there is a little bar area to get drinks at.
(4)Bryan G.
Food was very good. I'm not a big fan of places where 50%+ of the menu lists the price at 'Market Value'. That being the case it's difficult to say if Cotton's meets the $$ rating. In all they are pricey but good. They do have a kid's menu as well that's mostly under $10 and comes with a good deal of food. P.S. The Cajun pasta was very good.
(4)Staci L.
We had three adults and two kids. After waiting 40 mins to be seated, we waited another 18 for our waitress and another 10 min for our tea and water. We ordered the fried seafood platters. I've had better food at Captain Ds. Hands down worst food in Alabama and more expensive than most.
(1)Steven P.
I prepare seafood better. Boring atmosphere and spotty service highlight this must miss place . Why anyone would want to have dinner here is a mystery. I has tasteless overcooled broiled shrimp . At least that's what they were called on the menu . Served cold with hard broccoli . Do not eat here
(1)Darrell S.
This was mediocre. I had the grouper and my wife the scallops. The service was awesome and drinks fantastic. My grouper I had prepared blackened and found it cooked perfectly. My wife had scallops that were overcooked and probably frozen. They didn't taste fresh. We had the crab claws as an appetizer, and for more than the cost of my entrée, they weren't worth it. We were going to order a drink while waiting for our meal, but no liquor and only beer and wine available (this wasnt too bad as the wait was minimal). I would try it again if it had a view, but not so much.
(3)Joe W.
This was a mixed dining affair. Friday night and the only side dishes still available were broccoli, French fries and baked potatos. The waitress was really nice and fairly attentive but her efforts couldn't make up for the lackluster experience. It was so dark at our table we had to use a flashlight to see what kind of bread we were served. On the bright side, the shrimp was excellent and both of the fresh catches (grouper and cobia) were pretty good. However, three entrees, no drink and no appetizers or desserts shouldn't run you over 80 bucks. Waaaaay over priced.
(2)Ko N.
The food is OK, but not great. I got the prime rib...even though the au jus was hot, the steak itself was room temperature. Kinda pricey. I wouldn't be opposed to going back, but there certainly are better options nearby.
(3)Eric M.
Food was below average at best. The service was nice and the atmosphere was good. Portion size was small and cost was too much for what you received. I might have been ok with that had the food tasted great. The food was just ok at best. Steak tasted like it was cheap meat cooked at a cheap steak place. I expected FAR better from all the reviews and positive comment heard from this place. I was disappointed. They did not seem to be kid friendly.
(2)Sharon R.
Best filet I have had in a long time. However found it surprising that when waitress brought me shrimp instead of the crab legs ordered, she had me take shrimp off the plate I had already ate from. When asked if shrimp would be thrown away, her response was "Oh no!" Makes you wonder if they will serve it on someone else's plate. Just saying...
(4)Joshua S.
I was one of a party of 18 dining here for my grandparent's anniversary vacation. This was a very special occasion for all of us as my grandmother also was recently diagnosed "cancer free" after battling it for about a year. I've been working in the food industry for my entire adult life and am also a steak fanatic. I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp, with a side salad and baked potato. The steak was cooked perfectly medium and the shrimp were the best I've tasted. Unfortunately our server looked like she was also waiting on other tables as well as ours and seemed a bit overwhelmed which led to a requested sour cream fail to appear at my table, but the food was so good that I didn't want a potato to occupy the empty spaces in my stomach that might be used for steak and shrimp anyway. So I'll overlook that. All and all. Probably one of the best meals I've ever had in my 32 year existence on this planet. Bravo, Cotton's, Bravo.
(5)Lacy W.
How on Earth does this have such a high rating? 7 of us went here for a dinner at the beach. There was no wait...in June. That was the first red flag. Menu was same ol', same 'ol. The salad was room temp. We all got either the stuffed shrimp or stuffed grouper. All the stuffing was dry. The fish was WAY overcooked & rubbery on the edges. And all was bland. We got the key lime pie for dessert. It was the best thing we had, but small & $7. Two nights later we got a HUGE dessert at Original Oyster House that was only $5. And the meal there was great!
(1)Brad M.
Meal was mediocre at best. Waitress turned us off when a substitution was requested on an item that was not marked for no sub's. Out of royal reds! Probably will never return nor recommend.
(1)Liz S.
Loved it! My husband and I came to Orange Beach for the weekend and our hotel recommended Cotton's and we are glad they did!! The service was excellent. Our waitress Abby was fantastic!! And the food was phenomenal. I grew up in New England so I am very picky about seafood but it was awesome! We will definitely be back! Loved it!!
(5)Dale W.
Dull decor. Staff ok but nothing special. Routine menu. The kind of included salad that drives me crazy: pale iceberg lettuce, carrots, tomatoes. Seafood not bad, but a bit overpriced and so-so portion sizes. Not sure I get all the positive reviews.
(2)Shawn Y.
Really good seafood. A bit on the pricey side and not all the items listed on the menu were available. Would go again, but don't think it is a perfect 5/5.
(4)Sherry B.
They have the best Prime Rib ever! The atmosphere is elegant and charming.
(5)Amy G.
Love that you can sit outside or in and have drinks and appetizers while you are waiting. You must try the fried shrooms, they are the best I have ever had!
(5)Ken W.
Excellent! After 2 mediocre meals at other seafood restaurants here we were so ready for a good experience. My wife had the Oscar steak that was very tender and tasty. I had the stuffed grouper that was just right. Hot fresh bread and salad were nice extras. Thank you Paige for being such a nice waitress.
(5)Pam W.
Are you kidding??? I wanted to treat my hosts during my stay in Orange Beach by getting them a nice dinner. This was less than mediocre. We ordered lobster and prime rib. Everything from the salad and rolls, right down the line was what you could get in any run of the mill 1970 dining room. Service was no great shakes either. You would expect to at least get good food based on their prices. Huge disappointment!!!
(1)Kathleen T.
This was definitely the touristy, over-priced and bland place we were hoping not to find. Wait staff was friendly, but didn't know menu items or specials. My husband had the catch of the day, which was grouper, and it looked sad. Two small strips of fish with a side of broccoli and a pre-made salad for $24.95. Total joke. Fish was fresh and tasted fine, but for that price, it should have been more fish than broccoli and it wasn't. I had the BBQ Shrimp. The waitress didn't know if it was cooked with shells on or not, and she also told me it wasn't a typical BBQ sauce and it was more like teriyaki, which it wasn't. Shrimp seems like they were precooked and then added to sauce. Sauce was odd, not sure how else to describe, definitely nothing like NOLA. Our son has the filet, which he enjoyed and it was cooked properly. But he also ordered the brownie ala mode, but asked if he could get it without nuts (which the waitress didn't know), but she brought it out anyway, with nuts. We are just glad he isn't allergic!
(2)Holly C.
I had the broiled shrimp and vegetable medley. My husband ordered the flounder and shrimp. We were both impressed with the quality and quantity of food. Definitely make this a "gotta go" item on your list while in Orange Beach!
(5)Michael D.
We return to Cotton's at least once a year, in part because its the only place we've found int the area that serves Royal Red shrimp headless - everywhere else seems to serve them "in the rough". The rest of the food on their fairly extensive menu tends to be good, but not excellent. Service is generally OK, but can be hit or miss. Seafood Gumbo is above average.
(3)O K.
We went here this past weekend. The building is that old rustic look. Apparently it has been around for 40 years and well, everything is brown. brown metal art, brown wood tables, brown brown brown. first we got to wait in the back bar/ holding area. We ordered a round of drinks which were quick but the fancy drink one of our party ordered was very weak she said. My soda was big at least! We got seated in a table that was against the wall in the center dining room and well, it felt like one too many tables was shoved in this area. I perused the menu but nothing jumped out except steaks. I think that is the way to go here. The 4 of us ended up with bbq shrimp, crab legs, and then a crab leg shrimp combo. i hated the flavor of the bbq shrimp and so did my boyfriend. i on;y know because he ate about half and was done. But then we could just be used to different flavors. The crab orders were both rubbery when they tried to crack the shells but they said "they were fine". Really how can you mess up boiling? The salads were an awful throwback to 1985 when all salads were iceberg with a chunk of tomato and a piece of onion. I would have liked a little better lettuce style. Once we got home we told the parents what we got and they agreed that really you want steak if you are going to go there.
(3)Dianna W.
Best filet mignon I have ever had. Could cut it with a butter knife. Also had incredible stuffed mushrooms
(5)Angel E.
I recently revisited this restaurant after having eaten there a few times two years ago or so. It's still pricey but the food quality is decent. I've had their shrimp, steak and prime rib, everything was cooked right and did not disappoint. I would not drive a long way to eat there but if it's close by, it's worth considering. I assume they take reservations. We did not have any and just showed up Friday night, they were able to sit us within 10 mins.
(4)Ric M.
It was the best meal that we had on our stay at Orange Beach. The atmosphere was nice, service good and prices typical for a beach town. The fresh Grouper broiled was awesome. The baked potato was perfect. Salad and roll just ok...... will come back when in the area.
(5)Woody S.
.best experience dining all week while at the gulf. Service great - Abby was wonderful and attentive without interrupting our conversation. Food prepared well, timely and hot.
(5)Thomas F.
Looking for restaurant on orange beach. Pickings are slim. Had 3 beers with my wife , a bland grouper dish, microwaved dinner rolls, sparse salad, I had prime rib (good) with add on snow crab (meatless and overcooked) and bill with tip was 100 dollars. Nothing special. Will never return.
(1)Chelsea B.
I had the stuffed flounder. It was amazing! Good service too. Don't get the Alfredo as it is a bit bland. This is a must try! If I am around again I will go for sure!
(4)Jeff H.
We drove by Cottons a couple of times before pulling in, and I'm glad we finally stopped. I had the King Crab legs and they were so juicy, tender, and sweet. They don't have a huge selection of items - usually the fried and broiled selections are exactly the same (shrimp, fish, etc.) -- but it is definitely worth going for an early dinner. I'm not sure that I'd wait for more than 30 minutes for it, but we walked right in around 5:00pm. They have an average-sized drink menu, but a couple of cold beers and a coulpe clusters of crab legs will get your evening off to a great start.
(4)Jess B.
We love cottons! The food is always good and the service is great. They have some great bushwackers to go with the food. They also offer 10% off at the gift shop when you get dinner.
(4)Kerry B.
Great service, food was extremely underwhelming, salad was preplated and sparse, red royal shrimp were delicious.....nothing else worthy of mentioning. Wouldn't recommend unless you are looking for quick service and ok food.
(3)Jess W.
Best tuna steak I have ever had ! Hands down ! It was $24 and completely worth it , my salad , and broccoli were also good. I sampled the prime rib , also fantastic ! For dinner and mixed drinks for 3 it was right at $100 , but everyone was completely satisfied . Best dinner and service we had the on the entire trip .
(5)Krystle A.
Amazing service, great food and good prices for the area. No wait at all for the afternoon and super quick. Will be back for sure!
(5)Michelle P.
Great food and the best service we had in Orange Beach by far! It's pricey, but you get what you pay for.
(5)William L.
Visited on 6/4/11. My wife & I both had the grouper broiled & it was soooooo good!! Service was very good as well. Entree with 2 sides was $22.95 each with tea/soda. Will definitely return.
(5)Paige F.
The gumbo was good, the bushwacker was good. Red Snapper, not so much, but everything else was good. I liked how we were able to get a table in a reasonable amount of time. The restaurant was clean, the service was very good. Thank you.
(4)Ricky B.
Walked in with three friends was met at the door by no body. Waited ten min before a busy waitress helped seat us with an empty dining room. Ordered the crab cake appetizer for 11 dollars. The plate was three times the size of the crab cakes. Besides the price they were actually good. Being a chef from Dallas I was excited about my main course since it was all seafood. I ordered the deluxe dinner. The plating was something out of the 1980s with its uneatable greens and sloppiness. The scallops had zero sear like they came out a microwave. Breaded shrimp if you can call it that didn't even stick to the shrimp so you had the shrimp and then this barely fried mush ball. And don't call it Gouda mash potatoes if it taste like garlic more than Gouda you have a problem. The food here makes red lobster look like a gem!
(1)Stefanie S.
Horrible! Do NOT go here!!!!! Go to DeSoto's Seafood Kitchen instead! Or anywhere really instead of Cotton's. Worse than horrible. This is the 2nd time I have tried Cotton's. The first time, earlier this year, it wasn't great. The crab claws were overcooked, the salad was terrible. Limp iceberg lettuce, 1 cucumber slice, cut in half..... Croutons. Seems like the crab legs were decent. This visit was way worse. First, no place to park. Second, mini-bar tender was so slow, then he chatted with each person in front of us about fishing, etc. Then, once he finished their drinks, he offered to go get one of the people some bread or something, so he disappeared just as we were about to place our order.... Fortunately there is another bar upstairs. Right. This guy was weird & rude. I can't even do his oddness justice. So we got bloody marys that were so spicy they were barely drinkable. 1 was a virgin mary - and the bar bill for the 2 drinks was $15.49. WHAT? Finally after 45 minutes, our table was ready. We ordered immediately. Waitress was a bit edgy, but nice enough. She probably stopped enjoying her job years ago, but has kept it together enough to fake it a bit. Crab claws were good, salad sucked again - repeat of last time. The royal red shrimp were the most disgusting seafood I have ever seen, much less been served. They were extremely fishy, overcooked and the shell was black inside where the head had been removed. Worse yet, the king crab claws not only super fishy smelling, there were TWO - partial legs. WTH? I was appalled. The ribeye was good, but nothing to write home about. And, for 2 people, $85 is a bit much. I had no idea the crab claws would be $21 - and seemed skimpy on top of that.
(1)Stephen J.
Came late on June 30th, or first night at OB, but Cotton's was still busy. The good: our waitress was attentive and the food was quick. The bad: I ordered the fried flounder dinner and one filet was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The other, however, was slimy all the way through. This was also true for my children, who split a fried flounder dinner - slimy as well. My wife, on the other hand, ordered the shrimp trio: steamed, fried, and blackened and thought it was very good. Overall, we left disappointed and don't think we will return.
(2)Kaci W.
Two words. Filet mignon. I know this is a seafood place but I was in a steak mood and it was fantastic. The shrimp were excellent too! The only thing I didn't like was the lobster "tank" or bowl rather. They were all stuffed in there with no room to move. I know they were doomed anyways but it was very depressing. Not something fun you want your kid to see.
(5)Nathan L.
Not sure how this place is rated so high. The food was on par with a Red Lobster. We did go on one of the busiest weekends of the year, so I will forgive the fact that we waited over an hour and a half for our food to come out. What was not forgivable was the mediocre food, especially the steak, which is supposed to be their specialty. The cut of meat was huge but not cooked correctly and not particularly tender. The others in our party all got different seafood dishes and no one was impressed. Several were displeased, especially those who got fried dishes. They said the batter tasted like Long John Silvers. There are so many other good seafood places in the area I would choose somewhere else.
(2)Linda Q.
This was my favorite dining experience during my week long stay in Orange Beach. Our table overlooked the Gulf. The restaurant was clean, had a great atmosphere and the service was awesome. (Thanks to Sarah) My lightly fried shrimp and oysters were cooked to perfection and the broccoli portion was huge (a good thing) I would tell all visitors to give Cotton's a try!
(4)Randy J.
Stuffed grouper with crab was good but needed more crab. It was more like stuffed with breading. The chicken Alfredo was yummy!
(3)Hannon J.
Friendly, family oriented & great food! All make this place a special place to enjoy!!!
(5)Harry S.
We went back to Cotton's for my annual lobster of massive proportion. I had emailed a few days before to get a 3lb lobster and the manager to me that they had already gotten the lobster shipment and didn't have one. While I was a bit let down, we went to dinner and when we were seated I was asked if I was the man wanting the 3lb lobster. Well to my surprise they had obtained one for me and it arrived at our table cooked to perfection and I left only a shell behind. Any restaurant that will go the extra mile to please a customer they only see once a year has my vote. Great seafood, service, steaks, and desserts too!
(5)Andrew K.
Cotton's should probably select better cuts of tuna for their seared tuna - it came out visibly laden with gristle. I took a picture to share, but it might be a bit nasty to share on Yelp... I couldn't call the seared tuna a good suggestion. The crab cakes were nice here - this was probably the highlight of our meal and what we'd suggest others to try if coming here. They came out nice and crispy with a nice kick (perhaps there's a little horse radish hiding in their recipe somewhere?). The broiled shrimp and scallops were OK. Some of the shrimp seemed slightly overcooked and rubbery. The brocolli was nice - and came in good portions - so you can pretend to be healthy here. =) The salad and (semi-sweet) bread that come before the meal were also nice. As for the atmosphere here, the service and people are nice. The building is pretty cool (mostly wooden, but kept up well - kind of reminds me of a typical TX old-style steakhouse). All in all, it was ... maybe OK..., but I'd probably not come back because of the disappointing food.
(2)Tracey v.
We arrived early enough (just before 6pm) so that our quoted 30 minute wait was really only for about 15 minutes. It was just long enough to get Bushwhacker to bide our time. The drink was fabulous but better suited to be a dessert. Ordered crawfish tails and steamed peel and eat shrimp for appetizers. Average at best. Dinner salad was average as well. I had the shrimp dinner - a sampling of peel and eat steamed shrimp, along with both fried and blackened shrimp. All was good but average until I tried the blackened shrimp. The best ever!!!! Flavorful and just the right amount of spicy. I will definitely go back, if only for the blackened shrimp and Bushwhackers. Both were that good.
(4)Michael M.
Nothing really wrong with this place but nothing that makes you leave saying "damn, that was good." I had the stuffed grouper and it was pretty flavorless... Good, but again, nothing great. Service was fine... Get there before 5:30 to avoid the wait.
(3)Stacey L.
Visited with my parents and toddler while on a weekend trip this summer. The building seems old and a little musty. You go upstairs to get to the dining area. Our waitress was very nice and friendly. I ordered the broiled shrimp and scallops with scalloped potatoes. The shrimp was very good. I have to say the scallops had an odd taste to them. The scalloped potatoes were delicious. Our meal was fine, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for someone traveling to Orange Beach.
(3)Stephen M.
Cottons used to be our favorite place to eat. I say used because the past three times we have visited, within the past six months, the food has been overcooked, portions have been much smaller, our favorite is the stuffed chicken, which now mimic two chicken tenders, and service has been extremely slow. Reminds me of our old favorite, Lesters Restaurant. Was phenomenal, but overnight it went downhill. Sad!!!
(1)Stephnie L.
Was a little worried when we first looked at menu. Not a lot of options for the non sea food eating people in our group. The steak was way overpriced. We ended up with chicken, shrimp, pasta, and crab cakes. All were excellent and our server was awesome. 45 minute wait but there is a little bar area to get drinks at.
(4)Bryan G.
Food was very good. I'm not a big fan of places where 50%+ of the menu lists the price at 'Market Value'. That being the case it's difficult to say if Cotton's meets the $$ rating. In all they are pricey but good. They do have a kid's menu as well that's mostly under $10 and comes with a good deal of food. P.S. The Cajun pasta was very good.
(4)Staci L.
We had three adults and two kids. After waiting 40 mins to be seated, we waited another 18 for our waitress and another 10 min for our tea and water. We ordered the fried seafood platters. I've had better food at Captain Ds. Hands down worst food in Alabama and more expensive than most.
(1)Paige F.
The gumbo was good, the bushwacker was good. Red Snapper, not so much, but everything else was good. I liked how we were able to get a table in a reasonable amount of time. The restaurant was clean, the service was very good. Thank you.
(4)June K.
Good service, good food, overpriced. I'd classify this restaurant as a tourist trap. Nice atmosphere, but you can find other local seafood and steak places with better prices.
(3)Rafael E.
Very expensive, filet Mignon over cooked and dry , fries were cold . Very disappointed. For sure never coming back . Service was good
(2)Erika V.
Not that great. Both my husband and I had the filet combination. He had the fried shrimp and I had crab legs. It was just so so--not worth the price. Could have done better at Red Lobster. I asked the waitress for real butter and she pointed to the little packets of margarine on the table and, I said no that's not real butter, may have some real butter? She brought me margarine. Even the "drawn butter" for the crab legs was margarine. Food came out luke warm at best. About the only good thing I can say is that the steak wasn't overcooked... but it was cold when we got it. With all of the great choices in the area, don't waste your time here.
(1)Darin G.
Great food and service. If you get into town late, they will be one of the few places open so check them out!
(4)Audrey T.
This place was amazing the food was awesome my boyfriend and I ordered the crab cakes although it was expensive it was well worth it
(4)Krystle A.
Amazing service, great food and good prices for the area. No wait at all for the afternoon and super quick. Will be back for sure!
(5)Michelle P.
Great food and the best service we had in Orange Beach by far! It's pricey, but you get what you pay for.
(5)William L.
Visited on 6/4/11. My wife & I both had the grouper broiled & it was soooooo good!! Service was very good as well. Entree with 2 sides was $22.95 each with tea/soda. Will definitely return.
(5)Liz S.
Loved it! My husband and I came to Orange Beach for the weekend and our hotel recommended Cotton's and we are glad they did!! The service was excellent. Our waitress Abby was fantastic!! And the food was phenomenal. I grew up in New England so I am very picky about seafood but it was awesome! We will definitely be back! Loved it!!
(5)Dale W.
Dull decor. Staff ok but nothing special. Routine menu. The kind of included salad that drives me crazy: pale iceberg lettuce, carrots, tomatoes. Seafood not bad, but a bit overpriced and so-so portion sizes. Not sure I get all the positive reviews.
(2)Johnny N.
Ok folks, if your home is 300-400 miles from any shoreline, you will find this restaurant acceptable and maybe even likable. Staff are friendly and efficient, while the facilities are nice, it's not what it should be for the price bracket. The food is less than stellar sadly. Seafood platter was beyond disappointing because it was rather bland and not fresh as advertised. I did not finish the plate or even half. Fried oysters were flavorless and almost cold, scallop and shrimp were definitely frozen products, fish was the same.Crab cakes definitely factory made and does not deliver the sweet tastes of fresh crab meat, however the crab topping may pass as fresh local product. Filet mignon was horrid, comparable to 2-4 week old meats at Walmart that has been soaked in water to thaw out. All the juices of the steak were gone. Potato skins were ok and the salad was ice berg lettuce chopped up with croutons and 2 cherry tomatoes each. Didn't try my daughter's chicken tenders. You may find a better venue for seafood at places like Hazels, Shrimp Basket and last resort Captain D's. Best would be something like The Original Oyster House, they still use fresh local seafood and better prices with ambiance. Cotton's looked great on the outside, but once in, it's very disappointing to say the least. Sorry for the long winded review but I want to give as honest and accurate a review as possible. Gulf seafood does not take that much effort to make taste great or just good. Oh ! Oh! Before I forget, the lobster is $75 for the 2 pounder and $98 for the smaller 2 person deal!!!! LOL!!!!!! And the snow crabs $24 a pound, LOL! Ok ok, so that was a bit harsh, but true. Bon appetite !
(2)Linda W.
The food was really good and service was great. It was really stuffy in there though and a little pricy for crab cakes that were all stuffing and hardly and crab. My boyfriend got pasta and the sauce was thin and watery. Kids shrimp was a good buy though haha.. not bad. Would probably go again
(3)Steven P.
I prepare seafood better. Boring atmosphere and spotty service highlight this must miss place . Why anyone would want to have dinner here is a mystery. I has tasteless overcooled broiled shrimp . At least that's what they were called on the menu . Served cold with hard broccoli . Do not eat here
(1)Jess B.
We love cottons! The food is always good and the service is great. They have some great bushwackers to go with the food. They also offer 10% off at the gift shop when you get dinner.
(4)Kerry B.
Great service, food was extremely underwhelming, salad was preplated and sparse, red royal shrimp were delicious.....nothing else worthy of mentioning. Wouldn't recommend unless you are looking for quick service and ok food.
(3)Jess W.
Best tuna steak I have ever had ! Hands down ! It was $24 and completely worth it , my salad , and broccoli were also good. I sampled the prime rib , also fantastic ! For dinner and mixed drinks for 3 it was right at $100 , but everyone was completely satisfied . Best dinner and service we had the on the entire trip .
(5)Ricky B.
Walked in with three friends was met at the door by no body. Waited ten min before a busy waitress helped seat us with an empty dining room. Ordered the crab cake appetizer for 11 dollars. The plate was three times the size of the crab cakes. Besides the price they were actually good. Being a chef from Dallas I was excited about my main course since it was all seafood. I ordered the deluxe dinner. The plating was something out of the 1980s with its uneatable greens and sloppiness. The scallops had zero sear like they came out a microwave. Breaded shrimp if you can call it that didn't even stick to the shrimp so you had the shrimp and then this barely fried mush ball. And don't call it Gouda mash potatoes if it taste like garlic more than Gouda you have a problem. The food here makes red lobster look like a gem!
(1)Darrell S.
This was mediocre. I had the grouper and my wife the scallops. The service was awesome and drinks fantastic. My grouper I had prepared blackened and found it cooked perfectly. My wife had scallops that were overcooked and probably frozen. They didn't taste fresh. We had the crab claws as an appetizer, and for more than the cost of my entrée, they weren't worth it. We were going to order a drink while waiting for our meal, but no liquor and only beer and wine available (this wasnt too bad as the wait was minimal). I would try it again if it had a view, but not so much.
(3)Joe W.
This was a mixed dining affair. Friday night and the only side dishes still available were broccoli, French fries and baked potatos. The waitress was really nice and fairly attentive but her efforts couldn't make up for the lackluster experience. It was so dark at our table we had to use a flashlight to see what kind of bread we were served. On the bright side, the shrimp was excellent and both of the fresh catches (grouper and cobia) were pretty good. However, three entrees, no drink and no appetizers or desserts shouldn't run you over 80 bucks. Waaaaay over priced.
(2)Ko N.
The food is OK, but not great. I got the prime rib...even though the au jus was hot, the steak itself was room temperature. Kinda pricey. I wouldn't be opposed to going back, but there certainly are better options nearby.
(3)Eric M.
Food was below average at best. The service was nice and the atmosphere was good. Portion size was small and cost was too much for what you received. I might have been ok with that had the food tasted great. The food was just ok at best. Steak tasted like it was cheap meat cooked at a cheap steak place. I expected FAR better from all the reviews and positive comment heard from this place. I was disappointed. They did not seem to be kid friendly.
(2)Stefanie S.
Horrible! Do NOT go here!!!!! Go to DeSoto's Seafood Kitchen instead! Or anywhere really instead of Cotton's. Worse than horrible. This is the 2nd time I have tried Cotton's. The first time, earlier this year, it wasn't great. The crab claws were overcooked, the salad was terrible. Limp iceberg lettuce, 1 cucumber slice, cut in half..... Croutons. Seems like the crab legs were decent. This visit was way worse. First, no place to park. Second, mini-bar tender was so slow, then he chatted with each person in front of us about fishing, etc. Then, once he finished their drinks, he offered to go get one of the people some bread or something, so he disappeared just as we were about to place our order.... Fortunately there is another bar upstairs. Right. This guy was weird & rude. I can't even do his oddness justice. So we got bloody marys that were so spicy they were barely drinkable. 1 was a virgin mary - and the bar bill for the 2 drinks was $15.49. WHAT? Finally after 45 minutes, our table was ready. We ordered immediately. Waitress was a bit edgy, but nice enough. She probably stopped enjoying her job years ago, but has kept it together enough to fake it a bit. Crab claws were good, salad sucked again - repeat of last time. The royal red shrimp were the most disgusting seafood I have ever seen, much less been served. They were extremely fishy, overcooked and the shell was black inside where the head had been removed. Worse yet, the king crab claws not only super fishy smelling, there were TWO - partial legs. WTH? I was appalled. The ribeye was good, but nothing to write home about. And, for 2 people, $85 is a bit much. I had no idea the crab claws would be $21 - and seemed skimpy on top of that.
(1)Stephen J.
Came late on June 30th, or first night at OB, but Cotton's was still busy. The good: our waitress was attentive and the food was quick. The bad: I ordered the fried flounder dinner and one filet was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The other, however, was slimy all the way through. This was also true for my children, who split a fried flounder dinner - slimy as well. My wife, on the other hand, ordered the shrimp trio: steamed, fried, and blackened and thought it was very good. Overall, we left disappointed and don't think we will return.
(2)Kaci W.
Two words. Filet mignon. I know this is a seafood place but I was in a steak mood and it was fantastic. The shrimp were excellent too! The only thing I didn't like was the lobster "tank" or bowl rather. They were all stuffed in there with no room to move. I know they were doomed anyways but it was very depressing. Not something fun you want your kid to see.
(5)Nathan L.
Not sure how this place is rated so high. The food was on par with a Red Lobster. We did go on one of the busiest weekends of the year, so I will forgive the fact that we waited over an hour and a half for our food to come out. What was not forgivable was the mediocre food, especially the steak, which is supposed to be their specialty. The cut of meat was huge but not cooked correctly and not particularly tender. The others in our party all got different seafood dishes and no one was impressed. Several were displeased, especially those who got fried dishes. They said the batter tasted like Long John Silvers. There are so many other good seafood places in the area I would choose somewhere else.
(2)Kathleen T.
This was definitely the touristy, over-priced and bland place we were hoping not to find. Wait staff was friendly, but didn't know menu items or specials. My husband had the catch of the day, which was grouper, and it looked sad. Two small strips of fish with a side of broccoli and a pre-made salad for $24.95. Total joke. Fish was fresh and tasted fine, but for that price, it should have been more fish than broccoli and it wasn't. I had the BBQ Shrimp. The waitress didn't know if it was cooked with shells on or not, and she also told me it wasn't a typical BBQ sauce and it was more like teriyaki, which it wasn't. Shrimp seems like they were precooked and then added to sauce. Sauce was odd, not sure how else to describe, definitely nothing like NOLA. Our son has the filet, which he enjoyed and it was cooked properly. But he also ordered the brownie ala mode, but asked if he could get it without nuts (which the waitress didn't know), but she brought it out anyway, with nuts. We are just glad he isn't allergic!
(2)Sharon R.
Best filet I have had in a long time. However found it surprising that when waitress brought me shrimp instead of the crab legs ordered, she had me take shrimp off the plate I had already ate from. When asked if shrimp would be thrown away, her response was "Oh no!" Makes you wonder if they will serve it on someone else's plate. Just saying...
(4)Joshua S.
I was one of a party of 18 dining here for my grandparent's anniversary vacation. This was a very special occasion for all of us as my grandmother also was recently diagnosed "cancer free" after battling it for about a year. I've been working in the food industry for my entire adult life and am also a steak fanatic. I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp, with a side salad and baked potato. The steak was cooked perfectly medium and the shrimp were the best I've tasted. Unfortunately our server looked like she was also waiting on other tables as well as ours and seemed a bit overwhelmed which led to a requested sour cream fail to appear at my table, but the food was so good that I didn't want a potato to occupy the empty spaces in my stomach that might be used for steak and shrimp anyway. So I'll overlook that. All and all. Probably one of the best meals I've ever had in my 32 year existence on this planet. Bravo, Cotton's, Bravo.
(5)Lacy W.
How on Earth does this have such a high rating? 7 of us went here for a dinner at the beach. There was no wait...in June. That was the first red flag. Menu was same ol', same 'ol. The salad was room temp. We all got either the stuffed shrimp or stuffed grouper. All the stuffing was dry. The fish was WAY overcooked & rubbery on the edges. And all was bland. We got the key lime pie for dessert. It was the best thing we had, but small & $7. Two nights later we got a HUGE dessert at Original Oyster House that was only $5. And the meal there was great!
(1)Brad M.
Meal was mediocre at best. Waitress turned us off when a substitution was requested on an item that was not marked for no sub's. Out of royal reds! Probably will never return nor recommend.
(1)Shawn Y.
Really good seafood. A bit on the pricey side and not all the items listed on the menu were available. Would go again, but don't think it is a perfect 5/5.
(4)Sherry B.
They have the best Prime Rib ever! The atmosphere is elegant and charming.
(5)Amy G.
Love that you can sit outside or in and have drinks and appetizers while you are waiting. You must try the fried shrooms, they are the best I have ever had!
(5)Ken W.
Excellent! After 2 mediocre meals at other seafood restaurants here we were so ready for a good experience. My wife had the Oscar steak that was very tender and tasty. I had the stuffed grouper that was just right. Hot fresh bread and salad were nice extras. Thank you Paige for being such a nice waitress.
(5)Pam W.
Are you kidding??? I wanted to treat my hosts during my stay in Orange Beach by getting them a nice dinner. This was less than mediocre. We ordered lobster and prime rib. Everything from the salad and rolls, right down the line was what you could get in any run of the mill 1970 dining room. Service was no great shakes either. You would expect to at least get good food based on their prices. Huge disappointment!!!
(1)Holly C.
I had the broiled shrimp and vegetable medley. My husband ordered the flounder and shrimp. We were both impressed with the quality and quantity of food. Definitely make this a "gotta go" item on your list while in Orange Beach!
(5)Michael D.
We return to Cotton's at least once a year, in part because its the only place we've found int the area that serves Royal Red shrimp headless - everywhere else seems to serve them "in the rough". The rest of the food on their fairly extensive menu tends to be good, but not excellent. Service is generally OK, but can be hit or miss. Seafood Gumbo is above average.
(3)O K.
We went here this past weekend. The building is that old rustic look. Apparently it has been around for 40 years and well, everything is brown. brown metal art, brown wood tables, brown brown brown. first we got to wait in the back bar/ holding area. We ordered a round of drinks which were quick but the fancy drink one of our party ordered was very weak she said. My soda was big at least! We got seated in a table that was against the wall in the center dining room and well, it felt like one too many tables was shoved in this area. I perused the menu but nothing jumped out except steaks. I think that is the way to go here. The 4 of us ended up with bbq shrimp, crab legs, and then a crab leg shrimp combo. i hated the flavor of the bbq shrimp and so did my boyfriend. i on;y know because he ate about half and was done. But then we could just be used to different flavors. The crab orders were both rubbery when they tried to crack the shells but they said "they were fine". Really how can you mess up boiling? The salads were an awful throwback to 1985 when all salads were iceberg with a chunk of tomato and a piece of onion. I would have liked a little better lettuce style. Once we got home we told the parents what we got and they agreed that really you want steak if you are going to go there.
(3)Dianna W.
Best filet mignon I have ever had. Could cut it with a butter knife. Also had incredible stuffed mushrooms
(5)Angel E.
I recently revisited this restaurant after having eaten there a few times two years ago or so. It's still pricey but the food quality is decent. I've had their shrimp, steak and prime rib, everything was cooked right and did not disappoint. I would not drive a long way to eat there but if it's close by, it's worth considering. I assume they take reservations. We did not have any and just showed up Friday night, they were able to sit us within 10 mins.
(4)Ric M.
It was the best meal that we had on our stay at Orange Beach. The atmosphere was nice, service good and prices typical for a beach town. The fresh Grouper broiled was awesome. The baked potato was perfect. Salad and roll just ok...... will come back when in the area.
(5)Woody S.
.best experience dining all week while at the gulf. Service great - Abby was wonderful and attentive without interrupting our conversation. Food prepared well, timely and hot.
(5)mark s.
i loved the prime rib.
(4)Thomas F.
Looking for restaurant on orange beach. Pickings are slim. Had 3 beers with my wife , a bland grouper dish, microwaved dinner rolls, sparse salad, I had prime rib (good) with add on snow crab (meatless and overcooked) and bill with tip was 100 dollars. Nothing special. Will never return.
(1)Chelsea B.
I had the stuffed flounder. It was amazing! Good service too. Don't get the Alfredo as it is a bit bland. This is a must try! If I am around again I will go for sure!
(4)Jeff H.
We drove by Cottons a couple of times before pulling in, and I'm glad we finally stopped. I had the King Crab legs and they were so juicy, tender, and sweet. They don't have a huge selection of items - usually the fried and broiled selections are exactly the same (shrimp, fish, etc.) -- but it is definitely worth going for an early dinner. I'm not sure that I'd wait for more than 30 minutes for it, but we walked right in around 5:00pm. They have an average-sized drink menu, but a couple of cold beers and a coulpe clusters of crab legs will get your evening off to a great start.
(4)